The Tennessee General Assembly’s Black Caucus plans to invite Tennessee Achievement School District superintendent Chris Barbic to speak to its members to explain recent comments he made on diversity at charter schools.

“Yes, we want diversity,” he said. “But we’ve got to be honest about the situation and speak honestly about race and class, which goes way beyond the power of a school.”

Rep. Harold Love Jr., D-Nashville, a black caucus member, pointed to the 2012 controversy surrounding Great Hearts Academies’ charter proposal — which critics said would cater to a mostly white, affluent student population — and Metro’s renewed focus on school diversity that followed.

“To have this come on the heels of that is troublesome,” Love said.

The ASD, which has turned over low-performing schools to privately led charter operators, is concentrated largely in Memphis, with one school in Nashville.

The two cities have Tennessee’s largest African-American populations. ASD schools are predominantly black.

Concerns are raised

Love said black caucus members raised concerns about Barbic’s comments at a meeting on Tuesday. He said the caucus chairman, Rep. Larry Miller, D-Memphis, is drafting a formal invitation for Barbic.

The caucus meets weekly, and a discussion on Barbic’s remarks will appear as a future agenda item.

Love said he’s aware that WPLN-FM 90.3, which first reported Barbic’s comments, altered an original version that paraphrased Barbic as calling segregated schools “acceptable” to one in which he “acknowledged” only that they exist.

Still, Love said concerns remain, adding that he and colleagues want clarity on the intent of his remarks.